Shoe



Sept. 10, 1946. s L. KLEVEN 2,407,556

SHOE 7 Filed Oct. 6, 1945 IIIIIJIIIIIIIIII.

'IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIA Patented Sept. 10, 1946 UNITED STATES PAIT ENT ICE SHOE Samuel L. Kleven, Augusta, Maine Application October 6, 1945, Serial No. 620,769

2 Claims.

1 This invention relates to shoes, and has for its main object to produce an attractive and serviceable shoe at extremely low cost. Other objects and advantages will appear as this description proceeds.

In carrying out my invention, I prefer to proceed as follows:

I provide the marginal edge of the upper structure of my shoe with a plurality of spaced downwardly extending prongs, and provide the sole element of my shoe, which may be an insole, a midsole, or a platform sole, with a plurality of spaced marginal slots alignable with said prongs. The upper structure is' assembled to the sole element by threading said prongs through said slots and then bending the free ends of the prongs upwardly around the marginal edge of the sole element and back against the outer surface of the upper structure above said sole element where they are fastened to the upper structure in any suitable manner, as by cementing, stitching, or lacing. So fastened, the free ends of the prongs establish an ornamental trim around the margin of the shoe, and Where the exposed faces of said prongs are colored differently from the material of the upper structure, or are of different material, such trim strikingly contrasts with the remainder of the shoe and produces an attractive and pleasing effect upon the eye of the beholder.

Preferably, I attach the free ends of the prongs to the exterior surface of the upper structure by lacing the same thereto, in which case the prongs and upper structure are pre-perforated at the proper points to receive the lacing or lacing elements. The free ends of the lacing r lacings may be fastened off in any desired manner, as by adhering them to the "under face of the sole element, after which any suitable outsole may be attached to the assembly by conventional methods.

If the shoe is of the open-toe, open back type, the upper face of the insole at the open portions of the shoe may be faced with materials of the same or contrasting color to that of the upper structure.

As a result of this construction, my shoe may be economically manufactured by relatively unskilled labor and with the minimum of expensive shoe-making machinery. The resultant shoe is very attractive in appearance, quite comfortable, and has excellent wearing qualities.

In the accompanying drawing wherein I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shoe in accordance with my invention.

Figure 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Figures 3 and 4 are detail views of the upper structure and sole element respectively, before assembly.

I have indicated at H] a sole element, which may be an insole, a midsole, or a platform sole, and at H an upper structure. The elements I0 and H are bothconventional insofar as design and materials are concerned, but are characterized in that the sole element is provided adjacent its margin with a'plurality of spaced slots I2 of substantial length and the marginal edge of the upper structure is provided with a plurality of spaced depending prongs 13 of substantial length alignable with said slots.

In assembling the upper structure to the sole element, the prongs l3 are passed downwardly through said slots and then bent upwardly as at M over the marginal edge of the sole element and back against the outer surface of the upper structure above said sole element to establish a trim.

This bending action reverses the prongs upon themselves, that is to say, their inner faces are now exposed externally of the shoe. Such exposed faces may be left uncolored or may be colored either to correspond to the color of the upper or to more strikingly contrast therewith.

The free ends of the upturned prongs may be fastened to the adjacent external portions of the upper structure in any desired manner, as by cementing, stitching, or lacing.

I prefer to lace them to the upper structure, and in order to accommodate the lacing or lacings L, I pre-perforate the upper structure as at l5 and the prongs as at 16 with alined perforations.

Depending upon the type of shoe, the lacing may be a continuous length or may consist of two distinct lengths of cord, braid, or other suitable material. The free ends of the lacing or lacin s may be fastened off in any suitable manner, as by carrying the 'same through holes I5 in the insole and cementing them to the bottom surface of the sole element.

In the illustrated shoe, I have completed the shoe by assembling thereto a platform sole l8 and an outsole 11, both of which may be conventionally attached in any preferred manner, as by cementing.

Various modifications in design, materials, and methods may obviously be resorted to within the spirit and scope of my invention as defined by the'appended claims.

I claim:

1. A shoe, comprising an upper structure continuous along its lower margin throughout its vamp and instep regions and a sole element, said upper structure having a plurality of spaced downwardly extending prongs integral therewith, each prong being provided with a perforation matching a perforation in the upper structure, said sole element having a plurality of spaced marginal slots alined with said prongs and said prongs 4 extending downwardly through said slots and outwardly and upwardly over the edge of said sole element, and a lacing passing through the per- 

